Shadow and Light
by loveless.raine
Summary: After Rafaelo's defeat, Fou sworn that he will do anything to make up for what happened with her and Karen in the past. Karen should be happy, but it seems that the past will always caught up with her.. with them.
1. After the darkness

Disclaimer: I dont own B't x. It was just an anime that made up my childhood.

This will be more of a love story; but there will be an insight to the emperor's past

This story is closest to my heart as i loved the characters of Fou and Karen. O if you dont like this, kindly skip my story and dont leave a nasty comment. Thank you!

CHAPTER 1

Finally it was over, Rafaelo was destroyed. They were free, all of them. Their troubles are over.

Fou was badly wounded. His wounds may have been agony, but he wasn't crying in pain; he was rejoicing.

But it was cut short after he remembered that he must know what have happened to his comrades. He stood up and together w/ his b't j'taime looked for them.

"Ron! He called, Hokuto! Where are you? Karen! Teppei!."

No sign of them. They might be dead! But no, they cannot be. They must see the victory they longed for, The victory that almost cost them their lives.

"Fou!" It was Ron who called. He was carrying Hokuto on his left and Teppei on his right his b't was carrying Kotaro, and X was helping his twin Shadow.

Fou was overjoyed. He hugged them fiercely

.

"Are they alright?" He enquired.

"Yes." Hokuto replied before Ron did. "Were all alright."

Fou almost cried w/ delight

"Karen; where's Karen? Broke Teppei, crying. She.. she shielded me from Rafaelo's whip. She must be awfully wounded."

Suddenly happiness left them.

"I'll find her." Assured Fou. "Don't worry she's tough. No one can beat her. Im sure she's alive."

"Ok. Ill take them all on your chapel to be treated, after im done I'll help you", said Ron. "Take care of yourself out there Fou. Remember, you are also wounded."

"I'll come w/ you;" whispered the wounded Teppei, obviously in pain.

"You wont be any help in that condition. Fou told him. I can manage on my own; anyway Ron will back me up after youre all brought safely in the chapel.

"Be on your way then Fou, ill follow you afterwards." Said Ron and took them all aboard Hokuto's b't.

Fou was praying now. He haven't prayed since he was a child. He didn't even know which gods he prayed to. But he prayed that he would find Karen. And find her alive.

As he walked on a once bare desert now full of Rafaelo's pieces, he started to look back the day he met Karen.

She was sixteen then, not a girl but not yet a woman. Aramis brought her together w/ Karin and introduced them to him and the other young soldier of the machine empire. The first thing he noticed about her was her eyes. It was not the eyes of a properly raised child. It was the eyes of a girl who has seen lots of horrible things during the war.

Later on, she became his tough competitor. Yes, Karen was great. She can manage a b't better than most of the young soldier. She has the skills, intelligence and the determination that earned her the spirit guardian status together w/ Ron ,Hokuto and him. But inspite of her fighter ways, she's a still sweet and caring girl to everyone. She was especially close w/ Hokuto. This was the time that Fou realized that he has some admiration towards the girl.

They weren't close, both of them. But at times he caught her staring at him. And once when she and Karin were playing in the flower fields, she called him to join them.

Karin adored him, and he liked the little girl. This was the time he and Karen talked. She told him about them..And her dreams. But inospite if this, she never let her be that emotionally close w/ him.

And then, she started to rebel towards the machine empire. And there were disagreement about it. Had made their little friendship lost.. But not his feelings towards her.

Suudenly he heard distant footsteps. He ran to see where it is coming.

He saw a man carrying Karen, then dropped her on the floor.

"What the!" He screamed.

But the man had gone before he got there. She saw Karen lying, limp.

"Karen, Karen!," he was trying to wake her.

But she didn't..

"No you can't be;" he sobbed. He started to listen at her pulse.

.. it was weak.. but she's still alive.

W/ a sudden wave of relief he called j'taime on the east side of the desert. Then he hurriedly carried Karen to bring her back at the chapel.

He can't let her go.. not this time..


	2. Welcome back Karen

Disclaimer: I dont own B't X

Chapter 2

She was about to give in. . it was so nice to sleep forever. .there would be no pain, grudges and sadness anymore. She can leave them all behind. But someone was stopping her. A voice. . calling her. .

"Karen; Karen can you hear me?"

It was muffled at first so she thought she could just ignore it. But later on it became insistent.

"Karen, please hold on. Don't leave us we need you. . I need you," it said.

"Who. . who are you?" She said in a rather groggy state.

"I'm Fou Karen, oh my god Hokuto what's happening to her? Is she alright?"

"Fou? Who are you? Let me sleep."

"No you can't," the man replied. "I can't lose you. I. . I love you."

He loved her. Then she must not give in! all she wanted in this world was to be loved. She would want to live to be able to experience it. "I'll hold on" she said, "just promise me you'll wait?"

"I will Karen. . I will. ."

With a half smile that crept her face, she closed her eyes and slept like a child.

Worn out by all the events, Fou flung himself on the chair and gave way to tears of fatigue, pain and frustration.

Hokuto held his hand on his shoulder and reassured him.

She would be alright Fou, he said. Remember she's been through every trauma and shock. Showing weakness right now wouldn't do her any good.

"But you don't understand! I'm the one who put her through all this;" he argued. "Im a fool from the start! I loved her but yet. . this."

"Yes, let's say you did; but we can still change all that. Prove to her now how much you care for her!" Hokuto sighed. "Fao; I know all these years how you've hidden your feelings for her, and I can't blame you because we can't mingle our duties with our emotions before. But right now, you're free and she's free. Make it right this time." He let out another sigh. "I'm going to my room now. I need my rest."

Fao nodded. Thanks "Hokuto. Go to your room now. Karen's life depends on you. You must rest."

An hour after Hokuto left, Fou still sat there, gazing at Karen.

Make it right this time. .

He was interrupted with his thoughts when Karin entered the room. She brought along with her a tray with food good enough for them.

"Sorry to have disturbed you; she said cheerfully. But I know you hadn't eaten since morning, and I can't let you sleep with your stomach empty."

He forced a smile. "Don't worry I'll eat. how are the others?"

They are all fine; she said as she pour some steaming crab soup on his bowl. "But I think Teppei and Kotaro still needs a lot of medical attention."

"Good for us Hokuto is in good condition." Fou replied.

Their entire meal was spent silently, until Karin cleared the dishes. She asked him.

"How's Karen doing?"

"She just had delirium hours back. But I think she's managing well."

"I see." Then Karin became silent again. But then she asked him the question she was longing to ask.

"Fou, have you and Karen had a relationship before?"

Incurably truthful when asked with a direct question, he answered, "no we didn't. What makes you say that?"

"I don't know. . I guess I just saw in your eyes. . and hers, when she went here and helped us."

"He sighed. I didn't know what I had lost before. But I think there is still hope to change that."

"I see." Then she was silent again. She would have been jealous with his confession, but she was not. Maybe she had known from the start that somehow, his heart was reserved. And maybe it was Karen all along. Besides, her infatuation for him died a long time ago. She realized that he was just a brother. A brother she didn't have.

"How silly of me! She said after a while. it's time for Teppei's medicine. I must get going. Then Ill sleep too. Goodnight Fou, you too take your rest."

"I will" he told her. "Goodnight Karin"

"Goodnight." She said and went out.

Another ten minutes dragged by. He closed his eyes against the light's glare, and expelled a long sigh which became a yawn. Sitting still was extraordinarily tiring. If he wasn't careful, he would doze off. . .

He was roused with the creaking of the door, But he ignored it. Then, realizing he has slept for hours, he awoke.

. . Only to find Karen missing in her bed.

His heart gave a violent lurch as he went downstairs in search for her. To his relief, he found her in the garden. . alive and well. . she was still wearing Karin's nightgown and her foot was bare. She was sounds like crying.

"Karen;" she called her name softly.

Karen turned, and for the first time she really saw her crying. The independent, self-sufficient Karen crying! And because he assumes that she must be in a great deal of agony and pain, he suddenly hugged her fiercely.

And because she so needed that comfort, she clanged to him and cried like a little girl in his arms.

-TBC-

Make it right this time. .


End file.
